The current study aimed to investigate the effect of a multi-species probiotic (MSP) on cytokine production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and their immune dialogue with HT-29 colon cancer cells. PBMCs were incubated with MSP and their effect on cell proliferation and TNFα, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IFNγ, IL-10, and IL-1ra production was evaluated. The impact of MSP on the cytokine production by PBMC stimulated by HT-29 cells was detected. Not-stimulated PBMC incubated with MSP showed increased production of TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10, but no change in IL-6, IFNγ, and IL-1ra. The stimulatory effect of MSP on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-promoted PBMC was less pronounced for TNFα, IL-1β, and IFNγ, and the IL-6 production was decreased; phorbol 12-myristate 13- acetate (PMA)-induced IL-2 and IFNγ secretion was inhibited. The addition of MSP to co-cultures of PBMC and HT-29 cancer cells caused a remarkable increase in TNFα and IL-1β secretion, with no change in remaining cytokines. The multi-species probiotics modulated cytokine production by PBMC and affected the cross-talk between PBMC and HT-29 cancer cells. We conclude that probiotics may serve as supplements to the therapeutic strategies applied for the treatment of chronic inflammatory and malignant diseases, especially colorectal cancers.
Probiotic strains modulate cytokine production and the immune interplay between human peripheral blood mononucear cells and colon cancer cells
